ILOILO City – As 2024 draws to a close, Iloilo City proudly stands tall, having capped off the year with a remarkable array of achievements and awards, serving as evidence of its sustained progress and excellence.
For Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, all these accomplishments underscore everyone’s relentless efforts to maintain and enhance the quality of services and programs delivered to the city’s constituents.
“These reflect our commitment to excellence in every aspect of governance, from public safety and healthcare to education and infrastructure. All the innovative initiatives we have implemented ensure that we not only meet but exceed the needs and expectations of our community,” he emphasized.
This year, Iloilo City has added another prestigious accolade to its list of international recognitions. The city received a special “Livable City Award” for its outstanding efforts in enhancing urban livability through innovative programs and sustainable urban planning.
This citation was given during the 3rd CityNet-United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) City Awards, held alongside the 44th CityNet Executive Meeting hosted by Iloilo City at the Iloilo Convention Center.
Following its designation as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative City of Gastronomy last year, Iloilo City received the 2024 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Smoke-Free Award Gold Category from the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA). The award is a citation to the city for demonstrating a strong commitment to create a smoke-free metropolis.
Iloilo is also the only city from the Philippines to make it to the list of the World’s Top 18 Fitness-Friendly Cities. Cited by Headline Bulletin (hbuk.co.uk), the city was praised for its extensive bike lanes, bike-friendly infrastructure, and scenic views along the Iloilo River Esplanade, making it a haven for cycling enthusiasts and fitness buffs.
This year, Iloilo City maintained its place as among the Top 5 Most Competitive and Business-Friendly Highly Urbanized Cities (HUC) in the Philippines by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and Department of Trade and Industry-Competitiveness Bureau (DTI-CB).
Similarly, it remains the No. 1 Most Competitive HUC outside the National Capital Region (NCR), highlighting its exemplary performance in fostering an environment conducive to business growth, promoting innovation, and sustaining economic development.
Relative to this, with 10.5% economic growth and being the fastest-growing metro in Western Visayas, Iloilo City is the top contributor among HUCs outside Metro Manila to the overall economy of the country, as reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
“We are proud of the progress Iloilo City is making, showing that our economy is strong and stable. This growth reflects the productivity of our people and makes our city attractive to investors. We are optimistic that this positive trend will continue as we roll out more plans to develop Iloilo City,” the city mayor said.
Further elevating Iloilo City’s honors are the multi-awarded City Hall offices. The Public Employment Service Office (PESO) earned the title of the country’s Best PESO in the HUC category from the Department of Labor and Employment. The Public Information Office (PIO) was recognized as the Best Performing Information Office in the region among other awards given by the Philippine Information Agency Western Visayas.
The City Health Office, on behalf of the Iloilo City Government, received a Special Award on Governance and was named the Most Outstanding Local Government Unit in the HUC category by the Department of Health for its outstanding contributions to achieving better health outcomes and stronger local health systems.
Moreover, for three consecutive years, Iloilo City has set the benchmark for disaster resilience, earning the coveted “Beyond Compliant” distinction at the Gawad KALASAG Awards for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) and Humanitarian Assistance of the National DRRM Council.
As top performing city in strengthening local government finance, the city also received commendation from the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF)-6 for achieving a collection efficiency rating of 113%, exceeding the annual target set by the BLGF. Specifically, Iloilo City was ranked first among HUCs in Region 6 in three categories: Highest Locally Sourced Revenue, Highest Increase in Assessed Real Property Units, and Highest Locally Sourced Revenue in Real Property Tax.
Iloilo City has been honored as one of the finalists for the prestigious Galing Pook Award this 2024, for its notable initiatives such as the Iloilo City Sports Academy (ICSA) and the anti-hunger initiative dubbed RISE-A-FARM, under the Walang Gutom Awards (WGA) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Other accolades for Iloilo City this year include the 2024 Regional SubayBAYANI Awards by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for efficiently utilizing the DILG’s P10 million grant for the Swab Center; the 2024 Civil Service Commission (CSC) Pagasa Award for the Uswag Molecular Laboratory team and the CSC 2024 Dangal ng Bayan Award for Dr. Annabelle Tang; the Bahaghari Champion 2024 for the Office of LGBT Affairs-Iloilo City; and recognition at the Asia-Pacific Traditional (Folklore) Festival for the Dinagyang Festival.
“Let us continue to stay united and carry forward our passion and enthusiasm in serving our city and our community, driving them to even greater heights,” the city mayor urged./PN
